Toy



Aug. 23, 1960 G.A Llcl'rls ET AL 2,949,697

' TOY Filed June 14, 1957 .if n.

United States Patent() "ice f ToY Gunars Licitis and Marvin I. Glass,Chicago, Ill.; said Licitis assigner to said Glass Filed June 14, 1957,Ser. No. 665,747

2 Claims. (Cl. 4'6-243) The present invention relates generally to aself-propelled toy and more particularly to a battery-propelledmotorized ball which will propel itself and which will change directionswhen it comes into glancing contact with an obstruction.

One object of the present invention is to provide a ball or sphericaltoy having propelling means including a motor and batterieseccentrically mounted about a central shaft, with the propelling meansgeared to the shaft so as to move the ball as the propelling meansrevolves relative to the shaft. Further objects of the present inventionare to provide a self-propelled ball having a suitable switchingmechanism for controlling the movement or operation of the ball; toprovide a battery-powered motorized ball which may be easilydisassembled for replacing the lbatteries in the ball; to provide aself-propelled rball which has a transparent outer casing and aninternal operating mechanism suitably designed to provide an illusion ofmystery and to maintain a viewers interest in the ball; and to provide asimple, inexpensive motorized ball which can be economicallymanufactured and which will be durable in use.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent `from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing.

Figure l is a perspective view of the toy ball formed in accordance withthe present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken along line 2-2 of Figure l;and

Figure 3 is `a partial, enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 ofFigure 2.

As illustrated in the drawings, lthe present toy includes a pair ofinterengaged fhemispheres 5 and 7 which form a sphere or ball, a shaft 9which extends axially between the hemispheres and is rigidly connectedto the hemisphere 7, a frame or housing 11 enclosed within the sphere,carried by and rotatable about the shaft 9, power means 13 carriedwithin the housing in eccentric relation to the 'shaft 9, the powermeans being suitably connected to the shaft 9 for rotating the housing1.1 relative to the sphere, and lsuitable switch means 15 forcontrolling the operation of said power means. Y

The hemispheres 5 and 7 are made of a rigid material such as plastic orthe like. While it is not necessary for the operation of the toy, it isdesirable to make the hernispheres which form the outer surface orcasing of the toy out of transparent material so that one can see theinner elements of the toy, thereby making the toy more lattractive inappearance. 'Phe circumferential edge portions of the hemisphere/s areformed in stepped fashion as indicated at 17 so that the opposing edgesmay interlock .and present a smooth continuous surface across thejuncture of the two hemispheres which will not impede the rollingmovement of the sphere. The stepped interengagement of the twohemispheres 5 and 7 assures the maintenance of the spherical conditionsof thetoy during use and permits the rotation of the hemispheresrelative to each other about a central axis extending axially betweenthe hemispheres Without destroying the interlocking engagement of thehemispheres.

'I'he shaft 9 extends axially along the centnal axis between thehemispheres 5 `and 7. The shaft is constructed of any suitablestructural material such as metal or the 2,949,697 Patented Aug. 23,1960 like. One end of the shaft 9 is rigidly connected to the hemisphere7 so as to be rotatable therewith. In the illustrated embodiment this isaccomplished by iixedly securing one end of the shaft 9 in one end of ashort resilient bushing or anchor block 19 which in turn is securedtightly by means of a screw 21 in an annular boss or sleeve 23 which isformed integral with and extends inwardly Afrom the hemisphere. Ifdesired, the plug may be rectangular in cross-section and may ft in arectangular recess in the sleeve thereby positively preventing therotation of the plug 19 relative to the hemisphere 7 without relyingupon the locking action of the screw 21. The connection between the endof the shaft 9 and bushing 19 can be made in any suitable manner. In theillustrated construction this is accomplished by swaging the end of theshaft to provide outwardly extending projections 25, and thenpress-tting the end of the shaft into a suitable recess in the bushing19.

The `opposite end of lthe shaft 9 extends through a passageway 27 in aninwardly extending axially positioned boss 29 on the hemisphere 5. Thisend of the shaft is threaded and is interengaged by a cap nut 31 whichextends into an enlarged recess 33 in the hemisphere 5 and outer portionof the boss 29. The length of the shaft 9 is such that the cap nut 31may be rotated to Ibring the edges of the hemispheres in close abuttinginterengaged relation to each other. The cap nut and the recess in whichit fits `are circular in cross-section, and of uniform diameter so thatthe hernispheres can be rotated relative to each other without causing aloosing or tightening of the nut on the end of the shaft. As seen inFigure 2, the recess 33 is somewhat larger in diameter than thepassageway 27 thereby providing an annular shoulder 35 which provides aIlimiting position for the inner end of the cap nut 31.

The housing 11 disclosed in the illustrated structure is designed to`simulate `a flying Saucen It should be realized, however, that otherstructural designs could have easily been utilized. The housing 11includes a lower saucer-shaped base portion 37 and an upper coversection 39 having a central dome 41. The housing may be made of anysuitable material such as plastic or the like. To enhance interest andcuriosity of persons watching the operation of the toy, it is preferablethat the housing be opaque, except for the dome of the housing, which ispreferably transparent.

The housing 11 is arranged so as to be freely rotatable about the shaft9. The housing is provided with suitable diametrically opposed openings43 :and 45 located at upper end portions of the base 37 of the housing11 through lwhich lthe shaft 9 and associated elements of the toyextend. The openings 43 and 45 are of a size such that the housing 1imay freely rotate relative to the shaft 9 and hemispheres 5 and 7.

The lower end of the base 37 is provided with a generally rectangularopening l47 which is of a size large enough to admit a pair of batteries49 to be inserted therethrough. A rectangular battery case 51 having aremovable plate v53 is inserted into the opening 47. As seen in Figure2, the end portion of the battery case 51 adjacent the plate 53 includesan outwardly extending flange 55 which fits into Aan anular recess cutinto the edge of the base about the opening 47 so that the outer edge ofthe battery case 51 lies ilush with the bottom surface of the base 37.The battery case is preferably made of a suitable non-conductivematerial such as plastic or the like so as to avoid possible shortcircuiting of the bateries used in the toy. The batteries are heldtightly within the battery case by a suitable spring member 57 andcontacts 61 and 63 formed of conductive material.

Spaced parallel plate members 65 extend upwardly from the ba-ttery case.These plate members have vertical slots 67 therein which admit the shaft9. The plate members 65 snap into and are interengageable with a bracket`69 having a generally rectangular horizontal upper surface anddownwardly extending side and end Walls. The lshaft 9 extends throughsuitable openings inthe end walls of the bracket 69 and is journalled inbearings 71 attached to the opposed side walls of the bracket 69.

The driving means for the toy includes a motor 73v which is seated onthe upper surface of the bracket a9 and connects to the shaft 9 througha gear train which includes a gear wheel 75 attached to the motor shaft77, a gear Wheel 79 `and a worm gear `81 attached to a shaft 83journalled in the side Walls of the bracket 69 and a gear 850m the shaft9. As seen in the drawing, the gear 75 connects with the gear 79 therebyrotating the shaft 83 and Vworm gear S1 which is interengaged with thegear 85 on the shaft 9.

The batteries 49 connect with the motor 73 in the following manner. Onepole of the battery set connects directlykto apsuitable connection onthe motor 73 through the contact 61 and a lead wire S7. The other poleof the battery set connects to the motor casing (the ground side vof themotor) through the contact 63, a lead wire 89, a leaf-spring 91, theswitch 15, the shaft 9 and gears 85, 81, 79 and 75.Y

The switch is formed of the leaf-spring 91 which is connected to thelead wire 89, a sliding cam 93, and the boss 29. The leaf-spring 91 issecured to an end wall of the bracket 69 and has a curved outer endoverlying a portion of the shaft 9 which is adapted for engagement withthe inner surfaceof a bell-shaped section 9S of the sliding cam 93. Thesliding cam 93 comprises a sleeve having a square passageway extendingcentrally therethrough which slidably extends over a squared section `97of the Ashaft 9 which is adjacent the threaded end portion of the shaftwhich extends into tlhe boss 29 of the hemisphere 5. rhe inner end ofthe sleeve terminates in an outwardly flared annular flange portionwhich splheres 5 and 7 relative to each other back to their forms thebell-shaped section 95 previously referred to. Y

The sliding cam 93 is adapted for lateral sliding move# ment along thesquared section 97 of the shaft 9. The outer end of the sliding cam 93issuitably bev-elled and engages a similarly bevelled surface at theouter end of the boss 29. The leaf-spring 91 of the switch is suitablyshaped and dimensioned so that it is in contact with the inner surfaceof the bell-shaped section 95 of the sliding cam `93 but Yjust out ofcontact with they shaft 9 when the bevelled surfaces of the sliding cam93 and the boss 29 are in complete engagement in the manner shown inFigure 2., When the hemispheres are rotated relative to each otheraround the shaft, the bevelled surface of the boss acts as a cam andcauses the sliding cam 93 to move inwardly against the pressure of theleaf-spring 91 and the bell-shaped section 95 forces the leaf-spring 91into contact with the shaft 9. When the rotation of the hemispheresrelative to each other is reversed, thepressure ofthe leaf-spring 91 onthe sliding cam 93 causes the sliding cam to move outwardly back to theposition illustrated in Figure 2 thereby opening the circuit to themotor 73.

Suitable markings such as the line indicated at 99 may extend across theouter surface of the sphere and across the juncture between thehemispheres 5 and 7 to indicate the position of the hemispheres when thecircuit to the motor is open.

As is clear from the foregoing discussion, all that is required tooperate the ball is to rotate the hemispheres 5 and 7 relative to eachother from an initial open to a closed circuit position. The -motor 73will then rotate causing rotation of the gears 75, 79 and 81. This willcause tlhe housing 11 to rotate about the gear 85 and shaft 9. When theball is positioned on a lflat suroriginal position.,

If the outer hemispheres are of transparent material, one may see theinner housing which has the appearance of a flying saucer, and if thedome 41 is also transparent one may also see the whirring gears withinthe housing.

To change the ybatteries in the toy, one may first remove either tihescrew 21 or the cap nut 31 and then separate thehemispheres 5 and 7,after which one removes the bottom plate 53 in the base 37 of thehousing 11 whereby providing access to the batteries.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the disclosedconstruction without departing from the scope of the invention which isto be determined from the appended claims.

i We claim:

l. A toy comprising a -pair of interengaged hemispheres forming asphere, a shaft extending through the center of said sphereperpendicular to the plane of engagementof said hemispheres, said shaftbeing rigidly connected to one of said hemispheres and being rotatablyconnected to the other of said hemispheres, a frame which is rotatablysupported on said shaft and which is located within said sphere, powermeans carried on said frame in eccentric relation to said shaft, a gearsecured to the shaft, .said power means connected with said gear forrotatingsaid frame relative to the sphere to thereby impart rollingmovement to the sphere, switch means within the sphere for controllingthe power means, and means operated by rotation of said hemisphererelative to one another connected to saidswitch means to actuate saidswitch means so as to energize and deenergize said power means.

2. A toy comprising a pair of interengaged hemispheres forming a sphere,a shaft extending through the center of said sphere perpendicular to theplane of engagement of said hemispheres, said shaft being rigidlyconnected to one of said hemispheres and being rotatably connected tothe other' of said hemispheres, a frame which is rotatably supported onsaid shaft and which is located within said sphere, power means carriedon said frame in eccentric relation to said shaft; a gear secured to theshaft, said power means connected with said gear for rotating said framerelative to the sphere to thereby impart rolling movement to the sphere,switch means within the 'sphere for controlling the power means, andmeans operated'by the rotation of said hemispheres relative to'oneanother to actuate said switch means including Va Vfirst. cam 'membermovable along said shaft, a second cam member on thehemisphere to whichthe shaft is rotatably connected and located within said sphere, aspring biasing said rst cam member into engagement with said second cammember, the rotation of said hemispheres relative to one 'anothercausing the second cam' member to move the rst cam member against theforce of said spring, the movement of said first cam member beingoperable to actuate said switch means so as to en# ergize and deenergizesaid power means.

References Cited in the iile of this patent Y'UNITED STATES PATENTS1,856,514 sheneman May 3, 1932 2,575,743 Biggs k Nov. 2o, 1,951V

, FOREIGN PATENTS 470,974 Great Britain Aug; 25, v193,7

